Trends in Fatal Poisoning Among Drug Users in France From 2011 to 2021
Authors: Bruno Revol, Théo Willeman, Marc Manceau, Véronique Dumestre-Toulet, Jean-Michel Gaulier, Nathalie Fouilhé Sam-Laï, Hélène Eysseric-Guérin, Chadi Abbara, Delphine Allorge, Jean-Claude Alvarez, Alice Ameline, Aurélie Aquizerate, Anne Barret, Emilie Berland, Célian Bertin, Thierry Besnard, Fabien Bevalot, Camille Billet-Chatenay, Emilie Bouquet, Joanna Bourgine, Bertrand Brunet, Anne-Sylvie Caous, Alexandre Cesbron, Leila Chaouachi, Cécile Chevallier, Marjorie Cheze, Antony Citterio-Quentin, Philippe Collon-Fabie, Eric Dailly, Amélie Daveluy, Grégory Deffontaine, Martine Delage, Xavier Delavenne, Florence Descamps, Juliette Descoeur, Guillaume Deslandes, Marc Deveaux, Bernadette Devos, Christophe Doche, Céline Eiden, Aurélie Fouley, Yvan Gaillard, Nicolas Gambier, Catherine Ganière, Jean-Pierre Goullé, Pascal Guerard, Guillaume Hoizey, Luc Humbert, Laurent Imbert, Marie-France Kergueris, Pascal Kintz, Florian Klinzig, Laurence Labat-Deveaux, Bruno Lacarelle, Christian Lacroix, Denis Lamiable, Michel Lavit, Reynald Le Boisselier, Anne Le Bouil, Catherine Le Meur, Sandrine Lefeuvre, Bénédicte Lelièvre, Véronique Lelong-Boulouard, Anne-Sophie Lemaire-Hurtel, Juliana Lima-Tournebize, Magalie Loilier, Vincent Lopez, Claire Martin-Molins, Hélène Marty, Olivier Mathieu, Jean-Claude Mathieu-Daudé, Yves Mauras, Nathalie Milan, Aurélie Moal, Isabelle Morel, Patrick Mura, Anne-Laure Pelissier-Alicot, Gilbert Pépin, Martine Perrin, Anne Peyre, Alain Pineau, Rop Pok, Catherine Ragoucy-Sengler, Raphaël Rayer, Emilie Roman, Carine Roussel, Anne Roussin, Sandrine Sabini, Elodie Saussereau, Julien Scala-Bertola, Pauline Sibille, Michel Spadari, Karine Titier, Alain Turcant, Pierrick Vacher, Nicolas Venisse, Ophélie Vieira, Pascale Visinoni
Journal: JAMA Network Open (2023)

Importance The DRAMES (Décès en Relation avec l’Abus de Médicaments Et de Substances) register is a database of drug-related deaths with the aim of identifying the psychoactive substances associated with and estimating the trends in these deaths. Our novel approach is based on the collection of data on all deaths for which toxicology experts have performed analyses. Objective To describe drug-related deaths in France and report trends over an 11-year period. Design, Setting, and Participants This case series used a national register to assess 4460 drug-related deaths that occurred from 2011 to 2021 in France. Data analyses were performed from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2022. Main Outcomes and Measures Demographic characteristics; medical and substance abuse history; forensic autopsy findings; and toxicology reports. Results Among the 4460 deceased individuals (mean [SD] age, 37.8 [10.5] years), the mortality rate was highest among men (sex ratio, 4.4:1). Of the deaths involving a single or predominant drug, the legal substitution product, methadone, was the leading cause of death during the entire study period, ahead of heroin—44.7% and 35.9% for methadone vs 15.8% and 21.8% for heroin in 2011 and 2021, respectively. Between 2011 and 2021, most of the drug-related deaths shifted from licit to illicit drugs, and statistically significant variations were found for buprenorphine, cocaine, heroin, methadone, and other licit opioids. Deaths related to polydrug use increased from 23.2% in 2011 to 30.6% in 2021. In this context, opioids remained associated with most deaths, with at least 1 opioid being involved in approximately 9 of 10 cases (85.9%) in 2021. However, the main trend was the dramatic increase in drug combinations with cocaine, from less than one-third of cases in 2011 (30.8%) to more than half in 2021 (57.8%). Conclusions and Relevance This case series assessment of 4460 drug-related deaths found that opioids used alone or in combination were the main contributor to drug-related deaths, despite having a lower prevalence than other drugs. This finding is similar to that of other countries; however, in France licit methadone was the leading cause of opioid-related deaths (ahead of heroin) during the study period. Deaths associated with use of cannabis, new psychoactive substances, and stimulants (including amphetamine-type stimulants and cocaine, especially in combination) have increased and should be closely monitored.